As we inch closer to college basketball season, many analysts and insiders are taking a closer look at teams and players across the country.
That is exactly what CBS Sports writer Isaac Trotter did, compiling a list of the best point guards who initiate the offense, combo guards, shooting guards, true wings, off-ball wings, stretch 4s, bruising 4s, small-ball 5s, and true 5s.
Kentucky made the cut four times with four different players.
Zoom Diallo landed on the list as an initiator point guard. Diallo is expected to be Kentucky’s starting point guard this season and will be tasked with initiating the offense.
Diallo averaged 15.7 points per game last season while also dishing out 4.5 assists per game. If he can consistently get other key players involved, including stars such as combo guard Alex Wilkins, forward Milan Momcilovic, center Malachi Moreno, and others, we could see his assist numbers rise even further, potentially reaching six or seven assists per game.
Trotter also included Alex Wilkins in the combo guard category. Wilkins was a star at Furman during his freshman season and nearly helped the Paladins pull off an upset against UConn in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
While Wilkins can score at a lethal rate, averaging 17.8 points per game, he can also distribute the ball effectively, averaging 4.7 assists per game. With Wilkins capable of doing a little bit of everything, he could be extremely successful in his role at Kentucky.
Milan Momcilovic was also included on the list, coming in as the No. 1 off-ball wing. Everyone saw how successful Momcilovic was at Iowa State when given opportunities to score.
Momcilovic averaged 16.9 points per game while shooting 50.6% from the field and an impressive 48.7% from three-point range on 7.5 attempts per game. If Momcilovic can maintain that level of efficiency and production, he could become one of the best players in all of college basketball.
Finally, Malachi Moreno made the list as a true 5.
Moreno showed at times last season why he could be the big man Kentucky needed. Not many expected him to break out the way he did, but his performance was strong enough to nearly convince him to remain in the NBA Draft before ultimately deciding to return to Kentucky for another season in hopes of becoming a lottery pick.
Moreno averaged 7.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game while shooting 58.2% from the field. With an offseason dedicated to adding strength and becoming more physical on both ends of the floor, along with improving his rebounding, Moreno has an opportunity to significantly improve his NBA Draft stock.
With four Kentucky players making Trotter’s list, that has to make Kentucky fans excited about the upcoming season.
The hope is that these players can help lead the Wildcats to the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament and, ultimately, back to the Elite Eight for the first time since the 2018-19 season.